Jack the Ripper Hits Walford (Scenes 68 -71)
(Scene Sixty-eight: The B & B 20th September 2.00 p.m. - Grant places the receiver down and smiles reassuringly at Lorraine).
Grant: Joe, come down here, please!
(Joe emerges from his bedroom hesitatingly and steps into the lounge with his stepfather).
Grant: Sit down, Joe.
(The boy looks distressed. Yesterday evening, he was subjected to an exhausting grilling from DCI Marsden in the company of his psychiatrist and he had become so disconcerted by the experience that Lorraine and Grant feared he would be admitted into a psychiatric ward. It had been finally agreed that sedation and bed rest was required, but he was allowed to stay in the company of his mother and stepfather in the B & B. He has spent all morning in his room, too distraught at yesterday’s events to face anyone).
Grant: That was Marsden on the phone. You’ll be pleased to hear that there’s not going to be any repercussions from yesterday’s little fiasco at the café. You understand what I’m saying? No charges are being brought against you.
Lorraine: Asif, Gus, Spencer and Jake all verified what happened regarding Martin. And so did Jim and Patrick…they came through for you as well, love. As did the customer you were serving at the time.
(She smiles and hugs her son. Joe still looks uncertain).
Lorraine: I know how draining all this has been on you, Joe. But everything going to be all right now.
Joe: How can it? The people in the market are probably gossiping about me__
Grant: Joe, people will always gossip about something or someone. You’re the subject of gossip at the moment, tomorrow it’ll be somebody else.
Joe: Have I lost my job?
Grant: No. You can return back to work now if you want. But on the proviso that you’re not to work in the café unsupervised.
(Lorraine looks at her son’s crestfallen face).
Lorraine: It’s for the best, love.
Joe: Then you don’t trust me!
Grant: Joe! Now you listen up, son. You need someone working with you there, all right? For your own peace of mind. It’s either you work there under supervision or you don’t work there at all. Phil’s café, Phil’s rules. I put my neck on the block for you here, so don’t let me down. You feel stressed, tired or disturbed about anything whilst you’re working and you must remove yourself from the situation. You understand? Ring me, ring your mother!
Lorraine: And Joe, listen. (She clasps her son’s hands.) Everybody is singing your praises regarding the fine food you do at the café, you’re doing a marvellous job, don’t let this one incident spoil it for you. DCI Marsden is content with the psychiatric report, I know it was upsetting for you yesterday but she’s only doing her job. You weren’t being questioned about the murders, only what happened at the café.
Joe: So that means she could have another go at me then!
Grant: She stated that you were cooperative during previous interviews regarding the murder investigation, Joe. That looks good on the records. You continue being cooperative, but never speak to her without the presence of either your mother or I, you understand?
Joe: Not even if she wants me questioned with a psychiatrist or nurse…
(Grant shakes his head).
Grant: You tell us, okay?
(Joe nods).
Lorraine: One final thing, Joe. The psychiatrist thinks regular appointments with him will be beneficial now until further notice. You’ve no choice but to attend these appointments, Joe. Three visits every week until further notice.
Joe: Here? Or at the hospital?
Lorraine: In between home visits will be by the community psychiatric nurses. We can also contact them for extra visits. Appointments with the psychiatrist has to be at the hospital.
(They note how unhappy Joe is with all these appointments).
Grant: Now go back to the café and help Laura out. And, Joe, cheer up, all right?
(Scene Sixty-nine: 20th Sept. - Beale’s Plaice - Martin rushes into the chip shop).
Ian: Yes, Martin?
(Martin peeks through the window of the door anxiously).
Ian: Avoiding anyone?
Martin: Grant and Phil!
Ian: Ah yes. I heard about the little fiasco that went on in the café. Joe quite agile then is he leaping over the counter like he’s possessed?
Martin: You could say that! It was his eyes, Ian! He looked like the devil! And that knife in his hand!
Ian: Yes, well from what I can gather he didn’t actually threaten you with the knife did he? And he dropped it straight away when he realised he was holding it.
Martin: Whose side are you on?
Ian: Yours, of course. But you ought to know better than riling the Mitchells, Martin. As far as Grant is concerned Joe is family now.
Martin: Ah well you were a stepson of Phil’s once, remember? He regards you as nothing now.
(Ian stirs the chips silently).
Ian: Is it true that you were seeing Toyah?
Martin: We were going to meet the night she was killed, for our first date, yes. What’s it to you?
Ian: Oh nothing. Just rumours are rife and I don’t know what to believe and what not to believe.
Martin: Ah well you can hardly judge can you? You and Janine, who would’ve guessed! I bet Marsden gave you a right ear bashing about withholding information.
Ian: Janine and I were history long ago.
Martin: That is as may be, Ian. But as far as Marsden is concerned, she’s treating everyone who had something to do with these girls, as a suspect.
Ian: Knowing Janine, she probably just played around a bit too much and met her comeuppance. She got everyone’s back up.
Martin: Well I wouldn’t let Frank or Barry or even Ricky hear that…sounds like you’re saying she asked for it!
Ian: If she hadn’t played around, she wouldn’t have got killed, would she?
(Scene Seventy: 20th Sept. 7.00 p.m. The Vic. Alfie is serving customers at the bar with Kat when Grant and Phil arrive).
Grant: All right, Alfie?
Alfie: Yeah thanks.
Grant: I wonder if I could have a quick word with Spencer, want to thank him for sticking up for Joe like he did.
Alfie: Yeah no problem. Go upstairs, Grant.
(Grant goes upstairs and knocks on Spencer’s door).
Spencer: Oh hi Grant…come in!
(He’s playing music in the bedroom with Jake, Delta Goodrem. Grant thanks Spencer and Jake for helping Joe out then admires Delta Goodrem’s posters and goes over to them).
Grant: Delta Goodrem! What a sexy little madam she is!
Spencer: You like her?
Grant: I’m not too old that I can’t admire good looks and music like hers!
(The boys grin).
Jake: Sorry I got to go to the loo…
(As Jake goes to attend a call of nature, Alfie calls Spencer).
Alfie: Spencer come down here for a minute!
(Spencer rushes to his brother’s beck and call leaving Grant admire the Delta Goodrem posters in his bedroom. Grant smiles and adjusts one so that it’s straight upon the wall then leaves the bedroom).
(Scene Seventy-one: Walford General Hospital - Sonia is getting ready to set off home after a reasonably good day at casualty).
Saul: Sonia! Want a lift home with Dennis and I?
Sonia: Yeah that will be great, if you don’t mind that is Dennis?
Dennis: Going that way anyway aren’t I. How’s Jamie?
Sonia: Well I went up to see him lunchtime and he was sleeping. They’ve still got him on the morphine drip. Do you mind if I just pop up for ten minutes now to see if he’s awake now?
Dennis: No, you go ahead. We’ll wait in the car park for you.
(The two men wait in the car for Sonia. Saul smirks).
Saul: Jamie’s a bit of a drip anyway.
(Dennis laughs).
Dennis: You trying to muscle in on Sonia, Saul?
Saul: You know me, Dennis, I just love married women!
Dennis: She’s too young for me. Give me Sharon any day!
Saul: Yeah a shame that about you being her brother and all…
Dennis: No blood relation though!
Saul: I heard she’s still got the hots for Grant__
Dennis: No way!
Saul: Well you know what they say, married men and all that!
(They laugh).
Dennis: Hey, what about this new bird in town? Gem N she calls herself…
Saul: Exotic dancer alias hooker from the west end nightclub Toyah frequented and that Sasha isn’t it….
Dennis: I wouldn’t mind getting my hands dirty with Gem N!